This free fall , the American Floral Endowment created two loose surveys for academia and professionals in the diligence about their experiences and advice to help young professionals interested in pursue a life history in floriculture / gardening . The surveys include sixth sense on the job securities industry , life history development , app advice , scope on how professional attained their current roles , and more . The surveys were relinquish to AFE ’s community of faculty , conferrer , and industriousness phallus .
With the avail of the Young Professionals Council ( YPC ) through phallus Michael Wijesinghe , AFE take apart the information and compiled the solution into two executive summaries , one for the Industry Survey and one for the Academic Survey . To apportion the results and answer any interrogative sentence , the YPC buy at a webinar on November 16th , 2021 , which you may watchhere .
The webinar boast the travel along loudspeaker system : Dr. Megan Bowman is currently Director of Research Operations for the Ball Helix research and evolution squad at Ball Horticultural Company . She also serves on AFE ’s Board of Trustees and is the Board Liaison for the YPC . Michael Wijesinghe is an Assistant Grower for Bell Nursery in Springfield , Ohio . He became a member of the YPC in 2021 . Dr. Kimberly Williams is a Professor in Greenhouse Management and University Distinguished Teaching Scholar at Kansas State University . She also serves as a member of the Vic and Margaret Ball Internship selection committee and AFE learning commentator .

software do ’s and don’tsWhen asked about common mistakes on applications both in industry and academia , Dr. Bowman responded : “ We often see that , sometimes , people will strike that their connection alone will get them the job they desire . applier will have go bad to enceinte universities , work with fantastic prof and floriculture science lab , and while that ’s crucial , it ’s only so much . What weigh is what you ’re going to take from your education and bring to a squad of people that you ’re going to set off wreak with and offer up your skillset to . It ’s important to show the note value you bring beyond your connection . ”
From the survey datum , the venire also discuss the grandness of take a ' clean covering ' with correct spelling and grammar ; this can often be the difference between an app making it to the next one shot or being dismissed .
Both view showed the grandness of a variety of experiences for those use to jobs in floriculture . Sharing his own experience as a immature professional in the industry , Wijesinghe added how internships can allow for an chance for young professionals to question their caller as well as the company interview them .

regain a fair salary and negotiationsYoung professional person wanted to get word from the gore how and where to do pay research to verify their pay is competitory . They also inquire how to properly negotiate once they welcome a job pass .
Dr. Bowman answered : “ A wad about a salary really depends on the cost of sustenance . You have to consider that a job outside of a metro area will in all probability have a low salary because the price of keep is lower compared to live somewhere as expensive as California , for example . The money you put towards providing a biography you want to live in dissimilar place may look very different – you have to factor that in . ” She added that some in force reservoir for salary data are Glassdoor and LinkedIn . Dr. Bowman stressed the importance of doing your research on benefits and remuneration before drop dead into an audience .
When to apply before graduationWhen look for roles and industry and academia , students would like to hump when they should implement with respect to their gradation dates . “ Within academe , it ’s not rare to start research for jobs the semester before graduating because the timeline is so long between interviewing , capture the offering , and starting , ” noted Dr. Williams .
“ In industry , if employer are attend for someone out of grad school day , it ’s really helpful to eff when your defense team is . That ’s one of the biggest things that we ask . If you ca n’t distinguish us , then it ’s not a full occlusion , but it is a risk . Once you know when your defense is , that ’s believably the early you should be applying , ” answered Dr. Bowman .
variety of roles in floriculture / horticultureSurvey data for both academia and industry emphasize the diversity of roles and advance youthful professionals to be quick to wear multiple hats . During the discussion , the audience wanted to get it on how honorable to beguile and equilibrate multiple priorities .
Dr. Bowman noted the importance of get it on your team and sharing support : “ Balancing a role can be challenging , and a lot of times , success is partly dependent on who your direct executive program is and the squad that you cultivate with . In interviewing for a role , that matters a circle when you ’ll be balancing priorities . ” In her amplify response during the webinar , she also shares tips on being your own advocate and cope with your personal goals to the troupe ’s goal .
Dr. Williams shared : “ I reckon it ’s a struggle we all certainly front . There ’s always the imminent fires you have to put out , so I think some of the art comes into play when you figure out how to do the stuff that ’s not urgent but involve to get done to be successful . ” She also stressed the grandness of being rightful to yourself and your Passion , noting that balancing precedency is well-situated when you are doing thing that you love .
NetworkingNetworking is an authoritative cock when find oneself life history opportunities . AFE has helped young professionals to forgather master in our industriousness through the YPC and other resource . The YPC has opportunities to meet up at host dinners and luncheon at industry events throughout the year . This yr , the radical met both at Cultivate and ASHS .
“ I call up the resume results on networking were on the mark . Every presentation that you give is going to be an opportunity to connection with someone who may influence in a department with a billet open who becomes a really authoritative connection in the future , ” reflected Dr. Williams .
Wijesinghe added that networking is especially important due to how connected all the segment of the manufacture are : “ One of the enceinte things about floriculture and horticulture is the world of extension and how much intersection there is between breeders , researchers , gardener , farmers , and everything in - between . It ’s really of import to build those connections , and what ’s nice is that a lot of them are liquid . ” The panelists expanded on collaborationism chance and coiffe yourself up for succeeder in networking .
If you want to watch the transcription of the webinar , you could do sohere .